Hanoi (VNA) - The Grand Prize of the 19th Bui Xuan Phai - For the Love of Hanoi Awards was presented to poet Bang Viet at a ceremony held at Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam (the Temple of Literature) in Hanoi on October 2. The annual award is organised by the Vietnam News Agency’s The Thao & Van Hoa (Culture & Sports) newspaper.
The ceremony was attended by Le Quoc Minh, member of the Party Central Committee, Vice Chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Publicity, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan (People) Newspaper and President of the Vietnam Journalists’ Association; VNA General Director and Vice Chairwoman of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Publicity Vu Viet Trang; former and incumbent VNA leaders, representatives of VNA agencies and units, and a large number of artists and intellectuals.
Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Thien Thuat, Editor-in-Chief of The Thao & Van Hoa newspaper, said that after 19 editions, the award had become a venue honouring authors, works, ideas and deeds stemming from a deep love for Hanoi.
This year’s event recognised works and initiatives in such fields as fine arts, theatre, heritage preservation and promotion, international cultural exchange and urban development and planning, he noted.
The Grand Prize honoured poet Bang Viet for his enduring contributions to the “city of his life”. Bang Viet has devoted his career to literary creation, research into Thang Long-Hanoi’s culture and history, and cultural and literary management. Hanoi has been a lasting source of inspiration in his poetry, with about 30 poems devoted to the city.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Hoai Son, Vice Chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Publicity and a member of the jury, Bang Viet is a familiar and outstanding figure not only in poetry but also in Hanoi’s cultural development. He said the poet's love for Hanoi is immense, and the Grand Prize is thoroughly deserved.
The Work Award honoured painter Thanh Chuong’s lacquer painting series on Long Bien Bridge, and the Hanoi Cai Luong Theatre’s “Nguoi con gai Ha Thanh” play (The Girl of Hanoi).
The Award for Good Deeds were presented to the Cultures of the World Festival in Hanoi 2025 organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the municipal People’s Committee; and a year-long programme promoting the heritage value of Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam to mark the 950th anniversary of the historic and cultural relic site (1076-2026).
Meanwhile, a pilot project to establish a cultural space and pedestrian street along Thanh Thai Street in Cau Giay ward won the Idea Award
The 19th edition has gone beyond a conventional cultural award, offering a vivid reflection of how the Party’s policies and resolutions are being translated into practice.
A showcase featuring 40 panels introducing this year’s nominated authors, works, ideas and deeds was also organised as part of the ceremony, with several large-format lacquer paintings from Thanh Chuong’s Long Bien Bridge series put on public display./.
